


Steamrolling

by Sarcastic_Soulmate



Category: Parks and Recreation
Genre: Anxiety, Getting Back Together, Insecurity, Other, Paranoia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-06
Updated: 2020-07-06
Packaged: 2021-03-03 18:47:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 813
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24800284
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sarcastic_Soulmate/pseuds/Sarcastic_Soulmate
Summary: Leslie is trying too hard to keep her steamrolling in check. Ben notices. Post S04E08, 'Smallest Park'.
Relationships: Leslie Knope/Ben Wyatt
Comments: 8
Kudos: 29





	Steamrolling

**Author's Note:**

> I know I've said this before, but CALL A MENTAL HOSPITAL. It's for your sake.

All was well, except it wasn't. She and Ben could (and probably would) get fired. But strangely, that wasn't what was weighing on Leslie's mind at the moment.

Ben's steamrolling comment and Ann's backing it up hurt more than expected. She obviously wasn't going to bring it up, because she isn't going to make Ben feel guilty for something that was entirely her fault.

Leslie and Ben had gotten back together the night before, and even though no one could be happier than she was about it, this steamrolling thing was really consuming her thoughts.

They were laying in bed the morning after. Ben was on cloud nine. He wanted to keep holding on to her as if he would never let her go, which for him, was pretty likely. But, as expected, at an early time for him and a late time for her (5:30am) he felt her getting off the bed.

He groaned and reached for her. He held her hand and tried to pull her back into bed.

"Don't you want breakfast?"

"I want you more." He looked at her lovingly.

She smiled, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Is that what you want?"

He narrowed his eyes and kissed her hand. "Of course."

"Okay." She got back into bed.

'Did she give in too easily? I feel like she gave in too easily.' Ben anxiously thought as he wrapped his arms around her. He's a little concerned. But who can blame either of them for their anxiety? The whole "we might get fired and everything will crumble to the ground" thing was driving the both of them nuts.

//

Leslie got up again an hour later to make breakfast. She's really paranoid about her steamrolling. So much so, she's even worried about what she's going to make for breakfast.

She was in the kitchen trying to decide whether or not to make French toast when she felt arms wrap around her from behind and soft lips graze her neck.

"Hi."

"Hey." She whispers, in a daze.

"What are you doing?" He asked, but not really wanting to hear the answer, as he buries his face into her hair and kisses it.

"I was thinking about making French toast." She nervously replied.

"But?"

"But I wasn't sure if you would want that and obviously you should do what you want without worrying about people preventing you from doing so and who am I to judge what you want and don't want to eat and I'm not going to control that and make you feel bad- 

So that was it. The steamrolling thing. He should have known. That comment really hit her hard, and he regrets his choice of words because of it.

"Leslie, honey, stop."

"What?"

"I just want to say something." He smiled softly.

"Oh, damn, my steamrolling was stopping you from talking too. I'm really sorry, I don't know why you want to be with someone like me anyway." She remembers he wanted to say something. "Okay, talk."

"Babe, you're trying too hard with this whole steamrolling thing."

"What?"

He took her hands in his. "You don't need to walk on eggshells just to make me happy."

Now she was annoyed. "Doesn't seem like it from this angle."

Ben looked at her in disbelief. This was not how he was expecting this conversation to go. "What do you mean?"

"It doesn't seem like it because all I can see when I close my eyes is you blowing up and walking away."

"Leslie-

"And you want to know what the worst part is?"

"What?"

"I deserve that." She said, so softly, he almost didn't hear it.

"What? No, you don't!" He was close to yelling but he couldn't quite do it. Not while his girlfriend (he really enjoyed being able to say and think that again) is on the verge of tears from her bottling everything up inside.

"I do. Because all you wanted was to be rid of me, and I couldn't even acknowledge that." Tears were falling now.

"We were both hurting. And I never wanted to be rid of you. More like the exact opposite." He said, almost whispering. He reached for her hand, and his heart broke at her hesitation.

"That doesn't make it any better." Leslie grimaces. 

"We've both been through a lot. Let's just focus on the present right now." He said, his hands running up and down her arms.

Leslie looks at him with a shy smile. "Okay," she whispers. 

"So, what's the plan for telling Chris?" He mumbles as he kisses her temple. 

"Oh, well, I actually have a few ideas about that." She picks up a binder from the dining room table. 

He smiles. She's back. "Also, French toast would be great. Can I help?" 

She nods, happy they're together once again. 

And this time, they're never letting go.


End file.
